Final Four Heartbreaker: Wisconsin Falls to Kentucky in Five-Set Thriller
In a match that had all the makings of an instant classic, the No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers saw their national title hopes dashed in a five-set battle against top-ranked Kentucky.
It ended 3-2 in favor of the Wildcats, but the scoreline only tells part of the story. This was a heavyweight showdown filled with momentum swings, individual brilliance, and the kind of drama that defines postseason volleyball.
Wisconsin Comes Out Firing
The Badgers couldn’t have scripted a better start. From the opening serve, they were locked in - aggressive, sharp, and completely in rhythm.
Set one was a statement. Mimi Colyer and Carter Booth were nearly unstoppable, combining for 14 kills and hitting a blistering .933.
Wisconsin jumped out to a 9-2 lead and never looked back, rolling to a dominant 25-12 win that looked more like a warmup than a Final Four clash.
Kentucky Responds, and the Battle Begins
But if set one was all Wisconsin, set two reminded everyone why Kentucky is also a No. 1 seed. The Wildcats came out with renewed energy, grabbing an early 7-4 lead.
Wisconsin answered with a 6-2 run, fueled by timely blocks from Booth and Alicia Andrew, and briefly took control at 10-9. The set stayed tight, and after a clutch kill from Una Vajagic gave the Badgers a 20-18 edge, it looked like they might pull away again.
But Kentucky flipped the switch, closing the set on a 7-2 run to steal it 25-22 and knot things up at one apiece.
Badgers Regain Control in the Third
Wisconsin didn’t let the second-set stumble shake their confidence. They came out in the third with poise and purpose, building a 6-3 lead and then extending it with another 6-2 burst.
Colyer, Andrew, and Vajagic all delivered key kills to keep the Wildcats chasing. Kentucky made a push midway through, trimming the lead to 15-12, but the Badgers stayed composed.
They closed the set strong, taking it 25-21 and moving within one set of the national title game.
Fourth Set: A Gut Punch
Set four was a tug-of-war from the first serve. Neither team could gain much separation early, trading points and momentum until they were tied at 13.
Kentucky edged ahead with a mini-run and held a 20-17 lead as the pressure mounted. Facing set point at 24-21, Wisconsin dug deep, ripping off three straight points to tie it at 24.
The crowd was electric. But just as quickly, the tide turned.
Two untimely attack errors - one from Colyer, one from Vajagic - gave Kentucky the set, 26-24. A five-set thriller was officially on deck.
Fifth Set: A Comeback That Fell Just Short
The deciding set started with a jolt. After Wisconsin scored the first point, Kentucky responded with an 8-0 run that stunned the Badgers and put them in a deep hole.
Still, this team didn’t go quietly. Down 14-11 and facing elimination, Colyer fired back with two massive kills to cut the lead to one.
But on the next rally, Kentucky’s Eva Hudson ended it with her 29th kill of the night, sealing the Wildcats’ spot in the national championship and sending Wisconsin home in heartbreak.
Stars Shine Bright in Defeat
Despite the loss, Wisconsin’s top players left it all on the court. Mimi Colyer was phenomenal, setting a new career-high with 32 kills while hitting .348. Carter Booth matched the moment with a career-best 21 kills of her own, continuing her postseason tear after tying that mark against Stanford just last weekend.
Statistically, Wisconsin had the edge in several key areas. The Badgers racked up 77 kills to Kentucky’s 65 and hit at a scorching .375 clip, compared to the Wildcats’ .254. Kentucky committed more attack errors (22 to Wisconsin’s 17), but service errors loomed large - Wisconsin gave away 14 points at the line, compared to just 9 from Kentucky.
A Run to Remember
This one will sting for Wisconsin, no doubt. But the journey to the Final Four was nothing short of remarkable.
They knocked off powerhouse programs like No. 2 Stanford and No.
1 Louisville to get here, and they pushed a 29-2 Kentucky team to the brink in five sets. The Badgers showed grit, talent, and heart - the kind of performance that defines a championship-caliber team, even if the trophy slipped just out of reach.
The season ends in heartbreak, but the legacy of this Wisconsin squad is secure. They fought until the final point, and in doing so, gave fans a match - and a season - to remember.